


Number Twenty-Seven

by lunabelle



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Children, F/M, Family, Family Fluff, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 14:52:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4670822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunabelle/pseuds/lunabelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Andy and Jack both accomplish an important life goal, April is left thinking about her amazing life, and everything it's brought her.  It doesn't take much for her to realize exactly what she wants for the future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Number Twenty-Seven

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a bit of LD family fluff! Hope you enjoy!

“Okay, good job buddy! Awesome catch! Let’s try again.” Andy backed up several feet, his sneakers crunching on the red and brown leaves that were beginning to litter the backyard. September was nearly over and autumn had arrived in all its chilly glory.

Seven-year-old Jack backed up several paces in the opposite direction, his face red from the cold, tiny puffs of air appearing in front of his mouth with every breath. He held the football in his left hand, and cocked his arm backward to toss it to his father.

“Dad, go long. I’m really gonna throw it far this time,” he said, squinting in the setting sun.

Andy held his hands out in front of his chest, a wide smile on his face. He turned to his wife, who was setting the little picnic table on their back deck for dinner for what was probably their family’s last outdoor meal of the year. When April looked up at him, he gave her a wink. She smiled at him and watched her son.

“Okay big man, give it here!” Andy called.

“Okay, here it comes! UGH,” Jack grunted loudly as he threw the ball with all his might. It flew through the air, doing a sort of tumble as it headed toward his father. Andy reached out and caught it.

“Good, nice throw buddy,” Andy nodded. Jack slumped his shoulders, looking disappointed. Andy tried to hide the tiny smile on his face…he secretly always loved how Jack looked just like April when he was upset about something. Their pouts were identical.

“It didn’t spin the right way,” Jack said sadly, miming the desired motion with his hand.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Andy put his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “We’ll keep practicing until you get it right. If we don’t get to it today, there’s always tomorrow.”

“You did great, Jack. You’ll get it next time,” April smiled at her son, gesturing to him to take a seat.

“Daddy!” A small voice called from the deck. Andy looked up to see his daughter Melody waving at him, clutching her favorite doll.

“Hi angel,” Andy called back, his eyes bright, matching his smile. Andy wasn’t exactly hard to persuade to do favors for people, but his will was completely shattered when it came to his daughters. April knew he practically melted into a puddle whenever they needed him, yet he was their fiercest protector when it came to their safety. She loved him even more for that.

“Can I throw it daddy?” Melody asked quietly as she walked across the grass. She was dressed in her favorite little ballerina tutu, pink ruffles swooshing with every step.

“Of COURSE you can!” Andy smiled, handing her the ball. “You might want to put dolly down though.”

“Kay,” the three year old replied, placing her doll on a chair. She ran over as fast as her short little legs would carry her, black curls bouncing on her shoulders.

Andy handed her the ball and moved about three feet away from her. She lifted it back over her head, nearly tumbling backward in the process, and threw it as hard as she could.

Andy caught it effortlessly, but made a big show of being knocked backward by the force of the throw.

“Oh my God!” he yelled, falling back onto the grass and lying down. “I can’t get up. Honey, that was amazing, you’re so strong!” He smiled at her. “The football ballerina wins again!”

“Daddy, you OK?” she peered down at him, her face mere inches away from his. When she got close enough, Andy reached out and grabbed her, standing up as quick as he could while flipping her over his shoulder. Melody screamed in delight as Andy walked her to the picnic table.

“Daddy, I’m upside down, I’m upside down!” she squealed, kicking her legs in the air.

“HA HAHA,” Andy laughed dramatically, before turning her right side up, kissing her cheek, and gently placing her on the ground. “Why don’t you go get your sister and tell her dinner’s ready?”

“Daddy your beard tickles!” Melody squealed, as Andy kneeled down to her level.

“My beard, huh?” he smiled at her mischievously. “I bet this tickles more!” His hands shot out and immediately attacked her stomach, tickling every inch of her he could reach, eliciting high pitched giggles from the little girl. He stopped once she turned red from laughing so much. “Hurry and find Allie before I tickle you even more!”

“Noooo!” Melody giggled, turning around and breaking into a run. “Alllllieeeeee,” she yelled, turning to run back into the house in search of her older sister.

Andy stretched his arms back and grunted, rubbing at his sides. April noticed he did that a lot these days, and as much as Andy might not want to admit it, he was getting older physically. So was she, but she didn’t care. She loved Andy even more now than she did when they were young aimless kids with all the energy in the world.

April walked to her husband and took him by the hand, gently pulling him to the picnic table.

 

“Babe, this dinner was amazing! I can’t believe I married such a super awesome cook,” Andy said, pushing his chair back as the family finished their food.

“Thanks babe,” April smirked, gathering the empty dishes. “Everyone done?”

“Yeah Mom,” Jack practically tripped out of his chair at his attempt to run back to the football. “Dad, let’s go, let’s go! I wanna practice before it gets dark out!” 

“Okay, okay,” Andy groaned as he stood up, holding his stomach. “Kinda wish I could get a minute to digest though,” he said, joining his son on the grass.

“C’mon Melly, let’s go play in the leaves,” Allie took her little sister’s hand and walked her over to the pile of leaves April had raked earlier for the kids to jump in. Melody followed the six year old eagerly. A few minutes later, the girls’ laughter rang out across the yard as leaves went flying in different directions.

April watched her little family from the back porch of their house, sipping coffee while sitting in a lawn chair. Ten years ago, if anyone had told her what her future would hold, she would probably have laughed in their face and told them to leave her alone. It felt so crazy to her sometimes… she cooked dinner for her family, had a full time job she loved, and a house…she never would have expected the life she was lucky enough to have. And children…her, April freakin’ Ludgate, had three children.

Sure, she knew she’d always have Andy, that was a given no matter what. And finally, years later, after so much talking and convincing and anxiety and confusion about being a mother, Jack was born. Jack was their baby boy, their Halloween delivery that turned her into a mommy. She didn’t realize at first how much love she actually had for this new little addition to their family, and at that time, she thought she’d feel like they were complete. 

She hadn’t felt that way, however. She felt like she (and Andy…especially Andy) had so much more love to give.

So they had Allie. Alexandra Janet Roberta Ludgate-Dwyer came into their world nearly two years later, on a hot summer night at the end of August. She was a happy, bubbly girl, a mini version of her father, who already at such a young age was showing an interest in music. She had her own mini guitar and would sit with Andy, trying to learn how to play. She was a bit of a girly-girl, but not afraid to get dirty, and she was kind to everyone she met. So different from April as a child, yet April couldn’t be more proud of her. Once again, April thought they were complete. 

And then… _then_ they were surprised to find out they were having a third. That was one thing April hadn’t planned on. But she was thrilled nonetheless, excited even, and so was Andy. Seeing his face when she told him had made it all worth it. Their world unraveled when that pregnancy suddenly ended in heartache, and they were broken for a little while because of it. So much so, April wasn’t sure if she ever wanted to try again. She was terrified of the potential heartbreak, and the possibility that it just wasn’t meant to be.

They did try though, and April is grateful every single day for Melody April Leslie Ludgate-Dwyer. Her little mini look-alike, who loves animals _and_ dolls, everything associated with princesses and the color pink, loves to listen to stories, and can climb up onto the highest furniture (while terrifying her parents in the process).

Their children are her everything, and April can’t—won’t—imagine life without them. 

“Mooooom,” Jack yelled from the yard.

April snapped back out of her reverie and glanced at Andy and Jack.

“Mom, watch me!” Jack shouted, football in hand, as he backed up again to throw the ball to his father.

“I’m watching, honey,” April smiled at him. “Let your dad have it! Show him how strong you are!”

“He takes after me, babe, I already know he’s super strong,” Andy flashed his big, kid-like smile at her as he stood in position to catch the ball.

“Who said he takes after you?” April smirked at her husband.

Jack pulled his arm back again and concentration was evident across his face. He stood, tense and ready, and waited several seconds before he threw the ball to his father.

 

Andy watched his son, waiting patiently. Jack looked like everything he had was riding on this toss. He’d been practicing with him every evening after school, his son determined to get it right. Andy couldn’t have been prouder the day Jack asked him to teach him how to play football. In fact, he vaguely recalled his eyes misting up (although he wouldn’t share that with anyone but April). Jack was growing fast—too fast, for Andy’s liking—and he was already tall for his age. It seemed like only yesterday that Jack pulled himself up on Andy’s legs to stand and take his first steps, walking shakily to a beaming, teary-eyed April, only to fall halfway there. It didn’t matter though—they had celebrated all night. Now, here they stood playing football in the backyard. 

Even though it was now nearly eight years later, Andy remembered the day Jack was born clearer than ever. He remembered April putting on her Halloween makeup once she realized her water had broken, him trying to persuade her to get in the car so they could make the drive to the hospital. They just happened to be staying in Pawnee at the time, trying to visit both April’s family and Andy’s mom and brothers, when sure enough, she went into early labor. He also remembered feeling more than a little nervous when he realized that in only a few hours, he was going to be responsible for a whole new life…a tiny defenseless thing that he’d be protecting for as long as he lived.

He’d never seen her so beautiful than on that day, the moment she took her son in her arms for the first time. April was always beautiful to him, always gorgeous, always sexy. But that day was the moment that took his breath away and made his heart expand more than he thought possible. He’d been so happy, so grateful she decided to have a baby with him in the first place. It was the best feeling in the world to be there, the three of them, together as a family for the first time.

And two more times after that. If Andy thought he was lucky the first time, then he must be the luckiest guy in the world. Two beautiful baby girls later, and he still sometimes thinks he’s going to wake up from some dream to find that all of it isn’t real, that there is no way a person can be this happy, let alone him. Him, Andy Dwyer, who used to live in a pit and shine shoes in Pawnee’s City Hall. Who used to eat skittles and starburst for breakfast, tackle possums, and use frisbees for dinner plates.

He loved everything about his life. He wouldn’t change it for the world.

Andy watched as Jack thew the football hard, aiming right at him. The football shot upwards, arcing into the perfect spiral, soaring right through the air and into his hands. Andy smiled wide and looked at his son.

Jack was frozen in disbelief for only a moment before he punched his fist in the air triumphantly.

“DAD! DAD I DID IT! DID YOU SEE? MOM—DID YOU SEE? IT SPIRALED!” He was turning back and forth between his parents, making sure both of them were witnessing this major accomplishment in his life. 

Andy ran forward and pulled him into a huge bear hug. “Great job, big man. You did it, and you did _awesome,”_ Andy said quietly in his ear. “I’m so proud of you.”

April sprinted over and joined in the hug, kissing Jack on the head. “That was amazing!” she told her son. “I’ve never seen a better throw, great job honey!”

Jack turned to his sisters, who were both still playing in the leaves. “HEY! Allie, Melly, did you see me throw? I did it,” he shouted in their direction.

Allie responded by throwing a pile of leaves at him, which Jack dodged. A moment later, he had his own fist full of leaves and was running full speed toward his sisters, before littering them in red and brown confetti. Their shrieks of laughter only grew in volume.

Andy took April’s hand in his own, and together they watched their children play for a few moments. April leaned her head into Andy’s shoulder.

“He’s so happy,” she said, looking at Jack. “This meant to much to him.”

“I know,” Andy nodded, smiling, gently swinging April’s hand back and forth. “Meant a lot to me, too.”

“Can you believe this is our life right now?” April looked up at him. Her eyes were bright and her lips were turned up in the tiniest of smiles.

Andy looked down at her and kissed her. “I can,” he said. “I totally can.”

“We’re like, old people Andy. Old people with kids and a yard and picnics outside…all the stuff I said I never wanted.”

“I know, babe. And now you couldn’t imagine anything else, could you?”

“No, not at all,” she said quietly into his shoulder.

 

Later, after all three kids were asleep, April found herself standing on a tall chair, rummaging through the top shelf of their bedroom closet. She was looking for a very specific box. April knew it had to be up here; she made sure that it was put away the moment they’d moved into this house so it would always be safe.

Andy called to her from the bathroom when he heard a box fall to the floor. “Honey, what’re you doing in there?”

“Looking for something,” she replied, her head disappearing into the furthest corners of the closet, behind shoe boxes and random items she’d always meant to find a new place for.

Andy came into their bedroom and stood behind her. “You know, this doesn’t exactly look safe, babe,” he said, holding the back of the chair to keep her steady.

“I know, I just need to—oh—FOUND IT!” she bent down and pulled her head back out, and Andy lifted her around the waist, bringing her down from the chair and onto the bed. She had an old, worn out shoebox in her hands.

“What is it?” Andy sat down next to her and rested his head on her shoulder.

April opened the box, and started moving the items around. She paused here and there, and pulled out a few things.

“This is a box of stuff I kept from our old house in Pawnee,” she explained, holding up a few of the items for him to see. “I put a bunch of things in here I didn’t want to lose, so I could go back and remember them from time to time.” She held out a photo to him. “Remember this? This is the picture you sent me when I was Ben’s intern here in DC…when you were wearing that red bandana as underwear for three days.”

“Oh man, I can’t believe that happened,” Andy chuckled. “I still have that bandana somewhere.”

“Mm-hmm,” April nodded. “And here’s the ring pop that you proposed with,” she handed him the colorful, plastic ring, and kissed him on his scruffy cheek. “Anyway, this stuff isn’t what I was looking for…” 

“Aww, babe,” Andy held up the ring for inspection as a tiny blush crept along his face and neck.

She continued to rummage around in the box until her hand landed on an old, folded up piece of paper. It was dog-eared and ripped, taped in various places, but the writing was still completely legible. “Found it,” she smiled at him, and scooted back into bed. She patted Andy’s side and he followed suit, joining her excitedly. She handed him the paper.

“Babe, what’s—“

“Just open it!”

Andy unfolded the pages of the yellowing paper very carefully. His eyes scanned it quickly from the top to the bottom, and a smile broke out on his face, making him look like the twenty-nine-year-old oversized kid he was when she first met him.

“You kept it!”

“Of course I did! You weren’t finished with it yet.” April reached over to her bedside table and came back with a pen. She handed it to her husband, and pointed to a spot about three-fourths of the way down the list.

Andy read aloud, “Bucket list number twenty-seven: teach my son to throw the perfect spiral.”

“We crossed out number twenty-eight almost eight years ago,” April smiled, looking at the paper.

“We did…we super did,” Andy shook his head. “I can’t believe you kept it.”

“Are you gonna cross it off?” April shook his arm in a gentle, yet persistent way.

“Oh, yeah, duh,” Andy took the pen and drew a line across the paper. He scanned the list again and his eyes landed on one he’d added not long after April found out she was pregnant with Jack. The ink was darker there compared to the older, faded handwriting. “We should probably cross this one off too,” he said, pointing to it. 

April looked down and read the line under his finger. In Andy’s slanted, slightly rushed handwriting it said, “ _#50: Have the most awesome family with the love of my life, April Ludgate._ ” He moved to draw a line across it, but April stopped his hand.

“Wait,” she said, pausing. April knew what she wanted to say at that moment. Once she said it there was no going back. She knew that, and she’d made her decision the moment she watched her family playing in the yard at dinnertime. She was sure of it.

“What?” Andy looked at her, his eyes searching her face.

“We can’t cross that off yet,” she said slowly, biting her lip.

“Why not?” Andy looked quizzically at her, the pen still in his hand, poised above the paper.

“Because,” she took a deep breath. “…because I don’t think we’re done. Our family’s not done yet,” she said finally, looking into his deep green eyes with all the seriousness in the world.

“You—“

“Andy, I want another baby.”

“Another…” he trailed off, opening his mouth and closing it again.

“Yeah, I really do,” she whispered, unsure how to judge his reaction.

Andy stared at her for a few moments before pulling her into a tight, warm hug.

“I guess you’re OK with the idea, then…” she said softly, squeezing his torso.

Laughing happily, he leaned in to kiss her, his mouth warm and soft and sweet, gentle yet passionate, letting the list and pen drop to the floor as he filled his hands with her hair. She scooted up and into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck to grab the curly tufts of hair on the back of his head. Together they fell back among the sheets and pillows, holding each other. 

“I’ve never been more in love with you, I don’t think,” he said finally, nose to nose with her, before kissing his way down her neck and collarbone.

April pressed herself against his chest and nodded, her heart beating fast and his chest warm against her own. Yes, this was definitely what she wanted, she was sure of it. In fact, she’d never been more sure in her entire life.


End file.
